By Richardson Dhalai Friday, August 14 2009

click on pic to zoom in

Nice to meet you: Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday hugs eight-year-old Kevon Smith of Chaguanas West as he met constituents for a second time at the Ch...

THE UNC national executive has referred renegade Chaguanas West MP Jack Warner to the party’s disciplinary committee, political leader Basdeo Panday announced last night.

“Mr Warner having failed to turn up today, having failed to provide in writing answers to the allegations made against him, we have examined all the documents, all the letters by the parties and have decided to refer that matter to the disciplinary commitee,” Panday said. The national executive held a special meeting at Rienzi Complex, Couva, a week after it referred Warner’s fellow dissidents Tabaquite MP Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj and Mayaro MP Winston “Gypsy” Peters to the disciplinary committee.

Panday also disclosed the national executive would write to Chaguanas councillors Falisha Issahak (Charlieville) and Narsingh Rambaran (Cunupia) to explain their behaviour at the election of the new Chaguanas Mayor Natasha Navas.

“The two councillors ... will be invited to the national executive to explain their conduct in the election of the Mayor of the Chaguanas borough,” he said. Issahak and Rambaran nominated Navas, instead of former mayor Suruj Ramjattan, for the post and with supporting votes from PNM councillors Navas was elected mayor.

“So what,” was Warner’s immediate response to Newsday, when told of the party’s decision last evening. “I’m trembling in my shoes.”

However, when told about the action against the two Chaguanas councillors, a suddenly serious Warner said: “ I shall refer the letters to my legal team after the councillors show me what the national executive has written to them.”

Warner had earlier embarked on a walkabout of the Couva North constituency, of which Panday is the MP, that began at La Paille Village and ended with a visit to Warner’s new office at Jerry Junction.

He is expected to open this office today at 5.30 pm and will be followed by a public meeting, which Maharaj and Peters will attend.

Warner announced he would move into Panday’s constituency after Panday said he would adopt Warner’s constituency and has met Chaguanas West constituents at the office of Chaguanas Deputy Mayor Orlando Nagessar.

Panday had his second meeting with constituents there earlier yesterday. Commenting on Warner’s office in the Couva North constituency, Panday remarked that Warner’s constituents would now know where to find him since he is always out of the country.

(See page 15A)